The Boxer — Living or Dead — Floyd Mayweather Is Dying to Fight

From 1996 to 2017, Floyd Mayweather Jr. participated in fifty professional bouts. He won all. Scrutiny of his record will reveal that from 2005 onwards, one after the other; big names entered the ring either to thwart a challenge he posed or throw the gauntlet at his corner. It started with Arturo Gatti and Zab Judah. Soon Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Juan Manuel Marquez joined. By the beginning of the century’s second decade, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cotto, and a young Canelo Alvarez tried their luck to dethrone Mayweather Jr. but failed. Even strong chins like Marcos Maidana and Manny Pacquiao proved ineffectual against ‘Fort Mayweather’.

However, it should be interesting to note that once, when asked to reveal the most formidable opponent he ever faced, the name he took was absent from the post-2005 roster. According to Mayweather Jr., Emanuel Augustus, the journeyman-turned-challenger, who later achieved a cult status owing to his peculiar fighting style, was the ‘roughest fighter’ he ever fought.

The favorites of “The Best Ever” Floyd Mayweather Jr.

But when it boiled down to sheer technical proficiency, it was hands-down the “PacMan” Manny Pacquiao. “The best fighter I ever fought probably was Manny Pacquiao. Because of his movement….” He said.

But outside of this star-studded galaxy, was there at any time, a boxer, a dream fighter he admired so much that a face-off against him would have been the most admirable feat of his career?

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It seems there’s an answer in hand for this million-dollar query.

The gentleman from Nicaragua

In 2013, Floyd Mayweather Jr. sat down with legendary television host Larry King at his Las Vegas gym. Towards the end of their discussion, King asked, “If you could fight any fighter, living or dead. Who would you like to fight? What fighter in history would you like to have fought?“

After thinking briefly, Mayweather Jr. replied, “Alexis Arguello.”

It was apparent the famous television host had never come across the name, so once again, he asked, “Who?” And pat came the reply, “Alexis Arguello.” When King expressed his ignorance about the name, Mayweather Jr. responded, “He’s an unbelievable fighter.“

From Nicaragua, Alexis Arguello was professionally active between the years 1968 to 1995, having participated in eighty-five fights, out of which he won seventy-seven. Roughly 73% of wins were through knockouts. In addition, he was the WBA Featherweight title holder for two years, from 1974 to 1976; the WBC Super Featherweight title holder for two years, from 1978 to 1980; and finally, WBC Lightweight champion from 1981 to 1982.

Post-retirement, he took to politics, becoming the Mayor of Nicaragua’s capital, Managua, in 2008. Sadly, he passed away a year later, on July 1, 2009. While the Ring magazine ranked him twentieth among the “100 greatest punchers of all time,” the Associated Press adjudged him the twentieth century’s best Junior Lightweight.

When asked about his boxing heroes, Mayweather Jr. replied, “My uncle Roger, my father, and my uncle Jeff Mayweather.”

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